Disaster Recovery News

The following is a video series related to emergency preparedness techniques that you can implement today.

Video 1: The Need to Be Prepared

Video 2: A 72-Hour Kit

Video 3: Reducing Risks

Video 4: Evacuation

Video 5: Religious leaders discuss the importance of emergency preparedness

Learn more about emergency preparedness at home.

More about emergency preparedness for your business.

In a recently settled class action lawsuit, Tenet Healthcare Corporation recently settled for $25 million. The number of individuals who participated in the lawsuit is unknown, but those in the class claimed that New Orleans’ Memorial Medical Center lack of emergency preparedness caused an unreasonable amount of harm when 2005’s Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.

The Real Cost

An article by ProPublica states that there were almost 1,000 individuals in the hospitals, not counting hospital staff. Out of this population, 187 of the individuals were patients. When the disasters caused by Hurricane Katrina occurred, the backup generators in the hospital failed and help in the form of rescue helicopters did not arrive until two days after the natural disaster. The article reports that the hospital sought the help of the Coast Guard, National Guard, several government and private ambulance companies and FEMA, but the response was frenzied. In the end, rescue workers found 45 bodies at the Memorial Medical Center.

Nation-Wide Unpreparedness

Hurricane Katrina opened the eyes of several health care systems. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reported in May 2011 that out of all of the hospitals that participated in the 2009 National Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), only 76 percent of the hospitals met 90 percent of the all-hazards preparedness criteria. While this number is an improvement compared to 2005’s figures, only 85 percent of the more than 6,000 hospitals in the U.S. take advantage of and participate in the HPP.

What’s at Stake for Your Business?

Emergency preparedness and recovery is not just a topic medical centers need to consider, as all businesses are responsible for ensuring the well-being of those on their property if the unthinkable happens. Preparing for the worst can mean the difference between saving the lives or wishing you had taken the time to create an emergency disaster plan. If you are currently not prepared for a disaster, what would a devastating event cost you and your business?

Learn more about developing a plan for your business from the experts.

[Image: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center]

From catastrophic earthquakes, wildfires, biblical-like flooding, the hottest recorded summer temperatures to the snowiest winters, extreme weather and natural disasters are often one of the top stories on the evening news. However, one of the most common trends seen is unpreparedness on the affected public’s behalf.

Learning from the Past

In 2010, the planet experienced record-setting hot temperatures and more than 950 natural disasters. So far, the year 2011 is proving to be one that is following suit with much of the northern hemisphere experiencing freezing temperatures and some countries in the southern hemisphere under water. Experts say that 2010 gave us a peek of what is to come in 2011, yet the majority of households and communities in the U.S. have not prepared emergency disaster kits despite the lessons about the unpredictability of the forces of nature.

Preparing for the Next Weather Event

More reliable and less expensive than an insurance policy, emergency preparedness is an investment that will never go to waste. Emergency preparedness acts like a life jacket in times of a disaster. Emergency disaster plans for businesses should include a business continuity strategy and a way to restore wet documents and damaged books. Homes can prepare for the unexpected by creating an emergency disaster plan and preparing an emergency disaster kit that includes a sufficient amount of food and water, a plan for recovery and essential survival items.

With the amount of natural disasters the planet has experienced over the last several years, there is no need for businesses and households to get caught off-guard when Mother Nature acts-out. Devoting time to prepare for disasters before they happen can help families and businesses get back on their feet after a life-changing natural event.

Learn more about making an emergency disaster kit.

[photo: NASA Goddard Photo and Video]

To help raise awareness about disaster preparedness among children and teens, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) has deployed age-appropriate activities to educate this population.

For children, there are activity books with stories and activities, such as crossword puzzles and mazes, which teach about safety. IEMA developed the Ready Illinois High School Challenge for teens, which helps youth create 30-second scripts about emergency preparedness to serve as state-produced public service announcements (PSAs). To involve older youth, the state involves college students who produce PSAs for IEMA’s emergency preparedness campaign.

One of the most exciting disaster preparedness activities is for Illinois’ middle school students called “The Day the Earth Shook.” Developed with the Electronic Visualization Lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and the Center for Public Safety and Justice, the activity is a video game produced by IEMA that teaches about important safety topics. The video game places the in-game character in an earthquake scenario, and teaches the player about the importance of having a prepared emergency disaster kit and plan to get to safety. IEMA is hoping middle school teachers will implement “The Day the Earth Shook” game into their curriculum. Additionally, to encourage youth to continue to play the game multiple times, they have several opportunities to improve the amount of time it takes them to complete the goals; the best times are tracked on IEMA’s website.

Preparedness in communities and families can and should include children and teens. Emergency managers and government officials are keeping an eye on IEMA’s success so they can develop activities for the youth and children in their own communities.

Learn more about emergency preparedness.

[graphic: Illinois Emergency Management Agency]

Photo by Guiri R. Reyes

One of the important things learned from natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina is the need to include your pets in the family’s emergency disaster plan. Images of homeowners who would not evacuate their homes because they did not want to leave a pet behind and those of abandoned pets still cause animal lovers and pet owners to cringe and wish they could have done something to help. The time to help protect your pets is now, before a disaster happens.

Protecting Your Pet When Disaster Strikes

When making your disaster plan, keep the following in mind when it comes to your animal companion:

• Make plans to evacuate your pet. During a disaster, you may need to evacuate your home. Plan where you would take your pet because leaving them behind could result in injuries, your pet running away or death.

• Know what facilities could take your pet during a disaster. Call your area animal shelters and kennels to see if they board animals during a disaster. See if any hotels you may stay in if you evacuate accept pets. Additionally, see which friends would be willing to take care of your pet until your home is safe again.

• Pack pet supplies. Just like your family, your petwill need food and water during a disaster. In your emergency disaster kit, remember to keep your pet’s medications, leash, the vet’s phone number, a first aid kit, food and water bowls, can opener and litter box (if appropriate). Pets of the non-furry variety may need different supplies during a disaster, such as cages or perches or heating pads, so keep this in mind. Additionally, once you have determined where your family may evacuate to during a disaster, know the phone numbers of area veterinarians in the event you cannot access yours.

Learn more about preparing for a disaster.